Well that’s a wrap!
The Seattle Kraken win in Minnesota giving the Flames a chance to grab that 8th overall slot in the draft lottery, but the Sharks were not in a helping mode, as they completely collapsed making a Flames win all but inevitable.
Calgary turns aside the San Jose Sharks by a score of 5-1 with both Mackenzie Weegar and Blake Coleman hitting milestones, and Dustin Wolf coming with nine seconds of his first career shut out.
The Flames finish with 81 points, just a point shy of the new world .500 record.
The Lineup
Coleman is back. The veteran is back in the lineup after sitting out four games, and in quest for his 30th goal of the season.
Up front it’s; Mikael Backlund back with Blake Coleman and Andrew Mangiapane, Yegor Sharangovich with Connor Zary and Jonathan Huberdeau, Kevin Rooney with Matt Coronato and Adam Klapka and Nazem Kadri with Martin Pospisil and Andrei Kuzmenko.
Only one defense pairings; Mackenzie Weegar with Daniil Miromanov, Oliver Kylington back with Rasmus Andersson, and Illya Soloyvov with Brayden Pachal.
Dustin Wolf starts the last Flames game of the season.
Who’s On a Heater?
Flames leaders in the last ten games … wll be updated game by game to get a top 5 in an updated rolling ten game segment.
Points / 60 in all situations?
- Kuzmenko 5.52
- Kadri 4.88
- Huberdeau 2.76
- Sharangovich 2.61
- Weegar 2.35
Play driving (xGF%)
- Coleman 62.0% (6 games)
- Backlund 57.3%
- Zary 56.5%
- Huberdeau 56.3%
- Weegar 55.0%
Hanley pulled out of the top 5 with only three games played in the last ten.
Goaltenders (Save Percentage)
- Markstrom .876 5 starts
- Wolf .872 5 starts
Wolf’s Start
Didn’t have a lot to do with the Sharks badly outmatched.
Loses his shutout with just nine seconds to play.
Expected goals come out to 2.0 for the Sharks and Wolf gives up one for a successful night overall.
Milestone Club
Playing a crap team like the San Jose Sharks surely one of the three guys looking for key milestone would hit the mark tonight.
Blake Coleman, back after missing four games, and Nazem Kadri were going for 30 goals, and defenseman Mackenzie Weegar was on the hunt for 20, but did any of them successfully hit their mark?
Oh hell yeah!
Blake Coleman scores his 30th in the first period, Mackenzie Weegar scores his 20th in the second period, and we even got a toss in Adam Klapka first goal of his career to boot!
Only miss was Kadri, but not without a seismic effort.
Great final game in a rebuild season.
Odds and Sod
I’ve suggested selling high on Martin Pospisil, and when I do it never goes over well. The idea was born from the area that I don’t see him as a top six forward. I could be wrong on that, still think that’s likely the case. I do love his piss and vinegar though. I get that he can’t fight, and respect that. I hope that he irons out of some of the suspension worthy stuff going forward. But I love the sketchy play from the player. So funt to watch. … Hell of an assist by Connor Zary on the Blake Coleman milestone goal. Settles down the puck and finds Coleman under pressure and the celebrates the goal almost before Coleman does. … Had to laugh at the player’s attempt to get Nazem Kadri his 30th goal in the third period. Kuzmenko clearly looking to pass at all times, and Andrew Mangiapane with a great shooting situation just freezes on it and looks across the ice. … How sad for Dustion Wolf to lose his first shutout, and against his boyhood team with nine second left. That hurts.
Draft Position
Flames will draft 9th.
Could have drafted 8th.
I spent about 60 days updating the team’s chances at drafting in the top ten, and that’s exactly where they ended up.
So overall success for team tank despite what I’m guessing will be some concertation tonight over the win. Bottom line it’s not easy to lose to the Sharks, a lot of things have to go wrong.
Fancy Stats
This games wasn’t close. That was clear by the final score, but also clear by all the play driving stats on the night. The Flames, five on five, had 59% of the shot attempts, 79% of the high danger chances, and 64% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 59% of the shot attempts, 76% of the high danger chances and 64% of the expected goals.
Individulaly, the Flames were led by Andrei Kuzmenko with an xGF% of 83% on the night. He was joined in the 80s by linemate Martin Pospisil at 81%. Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson, Matt Coronato and Daniil Miromanov were all in the 70s. Only five players finished under water; Adam Klapka, Brayden Pachal, Andrew Mangiapane, Illya Soloyvov, and Mikael Backlund.
